Getting started with plant gardening can be easy. There are plenty of options. Start with a beginner’s plant collection. Aloe Vera, Peppers, Radishes, Cast-iron plant, and a few others. Regardless of your skill level, these plants can be a great start. Once you’ve got a few plants, you can expand your growing knowledge by experimenting with more advanced plants.
Aloe Vera
There are several advantages to planting an Aloe Vera plant. This hearty succulent grows best in bright, indirect light, but it can also grow in shade. It does best in a pot with a good drainage system, so it needs minimal water. To grow a healthy plant, Aloe Vera should be moved outdoors in the warm months, and kept indoors during the colder months.
It can tolerate some neglect. It will go dormant during the winter, and therefore, requires less care in this time. It is best grown indoors during the winter months, but will benefit from being moved outdoors in the summer. If you are a beginner, this plant is a great choice. It needs minimal water and little care, but will grow rapidly when given enough light. Moreover, Aloe Vera has numerous medicinal uses. It is known to help acne, gastrointestinal issues, and digestive disorders.
This plant can thrive in southern windows, but it grows more slowly in northern windows. If your plant is placed in a north facing window, rotate it every month to ensure even growth. If you have a sunny window, you can place it anywhere in the house, but it is recommended to plant it in the south facing window. A south facing window is the most optimal environment for an Aloe Vera plant.
Peppers
When growing your first plants, you should choose varieties with unopened buds and dormant seedlings. Pepper plants will use their energy to grow large, and if you plant them with flowering plants or small fruits, they will focus their energy on early growth rather than overall yield. Peppers need to be spaced at least twelve inches apart, and you can plant them 24 to 36 inches apart. After transplanting your pepper seedlings, water them well with a fish-based fertilizer solution to minimize transplant shock. For best results, use Neptune’s Harvest fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio of 2-4-1.
To make your pepper plants grow well, prepare your garden soil for transplanting. For in-ground planting, use a light-colored mix, such as Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All Purpose Container Mix, which contains nutrient-rich compost. In-ground gardens, use Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All Purpose In-Ground Soil, which provides good drainage and the right environment for root growth. Then, plant your pepper plants with a light layer of mulch to retain moisture.
To grow peppers successfully, be sure to plant more than one variety. It is best to allow at least two pepper plants per variety, and harvest some early blossoms. Then, harvest the rest throughout the growing season. When harvesting peppers, do not pick them by the stem, or you could damage the plant. You can also harvest them at the immature green or purple stage. Remember that the flavor is best when the peppers are mature in color, which is usually red or golden yellow.
Radishes
Growing radishes is one of the easiest plants for beginners. They sprout easily and grow quickly. Radishes are the best seeds to start with if you are new to gardening. Radishes thrive in cool weather and are best planted in September through March. In zones 7 and warmer, they can grow into the winter. However, if you want to grow a radishes crop during the summer months, you should plant them in zones 2-10.
One of the most important factors in growing radishes is soil type. They grow best in loosely compacted soil with a high organic content. Clay soil should be enriched with sand or aged compost. If your soil is low in organic matter, you should amend it with all-purpose fertilizer or aged compost. Another helpful tip is to till the soil so that it is loose and free of large debris.
While radishes are relatively small and easy to grow, they are still an excellent vegetable to start with. They don’t require a lot of space and can be grown in a corner of your garden. In fact, radish plants are often planted around slower-growing plants. Then, you can plant some other vegetables after the radishes are harvested. These include tomatoes, beans, squash, and melons.
Cast-iron plant
If you’re a beginner plant grower, you can start your cast-iron plant in a large pot, such as an antique terracotta one. This type of plant prefers a dry soil, and it will die if over-watered. A good potting mix is fine, as long as it is free of excess water. Make sure the pot has drainage holes and avoid over-watering.
A cast-iron plant can take up to three years to fully grow outdoors, so it should be repotted every three or four years. Ideally, you should do this in spring, when the plant’s roots have spread out. Make sure to choose a pot that is one size larger than the current one. To repot your cast-iron plant, gently remove it from the old pot and replace it with a new one.
The soil you choose will depend on whether you’re growing the plant indoors or outdoors. Indoors, use good potting soil, while outdoors, choose a clay or sandy soil that drains well. Because cast-iron plants grow slowly, they need extra space. When they’re young, they may be too large for their pot or be too small to be planted in full sun. To avoid overwatering, make sure the soil is dry in between waterings.
To propagate cast-iron plants, separate the rootstock. Divide the rootstock with a sharp knife, so that each piece is at least two leaves long. Place each piece in a new pot of potting soil. Use a sharp knife to cut the roots, but make sure to leave as much of the root system as possible. When propagating a Cast-iron plant, it is best to do so during the spring and early summer.
Jade plant
A jade plant is relatively easy to grow, so if you’re a beginner you can still have a beautiful specimen at home. To start with, take cuttings from the plant and dry them out for a few days. Dip them in Miracle-Gro FastRoot1 Dry Powder Rooting Hormone, then place them in potting mix and keep them lightly moist. After a week or two, the roots will emerge and you can treat them like a normal jade plant.
You can propagate jade plants from leaf cuttings or stem cuttings, but stem cuttings generally have a higher success rate. Before you do this, make sure the leaves and stems are disease-free and healthy. Carefully cut the branch just above or below the leaf node, leaving a callous to prevent diseases. Plant the cuttings in half potting soil and half perlite, and water them sparingly. You can treat them just like a normal jade plant once they’ve rooted.
The Jade plant will need a small pot with a good drainage hole, and it needs to be watered once a week. You can use a plastic pot with holes to keep the plant moist. If your container doesn’t have drainage holes, you can plant the jade plant in a decorative container. However, make sure that the pot you choose is wide and deep enough to hold the plant and not smother it. Jade plants will also become top-heavy if the pot is too shallow, so make sure it is wide and deep enough to accommodate the roots.
Peace lily
The peace lily is one of the easiest plants to grow. They love to be watered frequently, but the plant must have time to dry out between waterings. If you are starting to experience leaf tips turning brown, it may be time to repot your peace lily. Overwatering will also result in brown leaves. When in doubt, water it less frequently or give it a break between waterings.
The Peace lily is a beautiful houseplant. The flowers of the peace lily are striking, cream-colored, and can bloom for several weeks. It is hard to kill, so this plant is great for beginners. The plant also needs little maintenance and is forgiving, only complaining when it is unhappy. Even if it suffers a little in its care, it will quickly rebound. It is best for beginners because it is easy to grow, requires little light, and does not require a lot of water or fertilizer.
The Peace lily needs no fertilizer. It will not flower if it lacks nutrients. It will, however, produce attractive leaves for many weeks. The plant is also relatively pest-resistant. If you notice some insects on your peace lily, remove them with a swab of rubbing alcohol or insecticidal soap. You can even spray the plant with Bt, an insecticide approved for use in the home garden.